LV Kuniochis Shippuuden: Part 1
by Axelstar
Summary: part 1
1. Homecoming

Nisshoku Vladdy sighed. "Tsuande-sama is always sending me on these errands, what am I now? Shizune?"

She walked passed the **Shuensha flower shop, and stopped. It had already been three years since her rival and best friend had left the village. When would she return? **

**"Goodness, I finally return with Asuma-sensei and the guys, and I takes me THIS LONG to find you?! You surely are busy these days."**

**Vladdy jumped at the familiar voice, turned around, and gasped. **

**"N-No way!" she whispered. Standing only a few feet in front of her was Axel, the teammates she had just been thinking about.**

**"Long time no see!" Axel waved, smiling. Vladdy wasn't the only one who had changed. It was visible that Axel had gotten stronger. **

**Vladdy smiled and threw her arms around her old friend. "I can't believe your back!" tears were rushing to her eyes.**

**Axel laughed. "Well, I am!" she returned the hug. "We have a TON of catching up to do!" Axel looked around, taking in the place she had grown up in. "Want to grab a bite to eat?" she asked.**

**"OF COURSE, but first I need to go to the hospital for a quick errand, come with me." **

**"Ha, becoming the next Tsunade, eh? I remember our first lesson with medical nin-justsu." Axel laughed.**

**"Hey Naruto, look who's back!" Vladdy and Axel entered a hospital room full of people. Naruto was lying in the bed, surrounded by: Kakashi-sensei, Asuma-sensei, Shikamaru, Choji, and a man who was similar to Sasuke.**

**"It looks like you found her, Axel." Shikamaru laughed.**

**"Shikamar! Choji!" Vladdy smiled. They had been gone from the village for a few months.**

**"Oh, joy, she's back," Naruto grunted.**

**"Nice to see you too," Axel replied. But the rude comment didn't distract her; it was the man who resembled Sasuke.**

**Vladdy saw Axel staring, and elbowed her in the side. "He's mine, no staring!" she ordered.**

**Axel blushed, and turned to her rival. "That's fine, besides, I still need to visit Kyoya-sempai, but first…" She smiled and walked over to the stranger, flipped her hair, and held out her hand. "Shuensha Axel, it's a pleasure," she batted her eyelashes, laughing on the inside as she felt Vladdys anger flood the room.**

**"My name is Sai, Vladdy has told me much about you." He smiled and shook her hand.**

**Vladdy grabbed Axel's arm, and started pulling her out the door. "Were going to get something to eat!" She yelled.**

**Sai ended up getting squished inbetween Vladdy and Axel, who sat across from Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto. **

**"So whats been going on?" Axel asked.**

**"Well, I have been working under Tsuande-sama lately, and as Shikamaru probably told you, Gaara left to join the san village." Vladdy answered, her eyes dropping at the mention at her cousins leaving.**

**Axel was silent for a moment. "Yeah he told me," She said, looking at Shikamaru, who had his eyes on his plate. She sighed. "Its not the end of the world, she'll visit, right?!" **

**Vladdy chuckled, "She has visited quit a lot. Of course, she always has to show off the fact that she's a jounin every time I see her." **

**Axel gasped, "A JOUNIN?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" **

**Vladdy realized something at that point and laughed. "Your still a genin!"**

**Axel's faced turned red, and a smug look appeared on her face. "You wanna see how much of a genin I still am?" she challenged.**

**"Bring it," Vladdy said, standing up.**

**"Guys, chill out, we haven't even ordered yet," Choji sighed, hungry.**

**Vladdy and Axel laughed in unison. It was just like old times, minus Gaara not being at the table. Axel looked at the door of the restaurant and her smile faded. It was her previous sensei's: Hyuuga Neji, and the despicable monster and reason she left, Uchiha Raidon.**


	2. Redemption

"Damn it, I thought they weren't supposed to be back from the mission for a few days?" Naruto whispered to Vladdy.

"They weren't!" she sighed.

Raidon waved, "Vladdy! Naruto! Sai! And…" she cut off, and Neji started thinking of ways to calm the situation before one had even begun.

"Axel…" Raidon whispered, both overjoyed and cautious at the return of her student.

Axel's face fell. "If you would excuse me, my father does not know I have returned yet." She got up, and left through the backdoor of the building.

Neji and Raidon approached the table occupied by the teens. "Shes back." Raidon's eyes were glued to the door. Neji sighed and rubbed her shoulder.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be back for a few days." Vladdy stated.

"The mission was too large; the backup squads are handling it now." Neji replied.

"Maybe I should go talk to her-" Raidon started, but Vladdy cut her off.

"I don't think that would be wise, sensei." She said respectively, but with a touch of authority.

"She's right," Neji agreed.

Raidon looked at her feet. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Its fine," Vladdy said, waving her arms. "Sit down, catch up with Shika and Choji, I'm gonna go make sure Axel remembers the way back to her home." She gave Sai a kiss on the check and rushed out the door.

Axel cautiously approached her home. Would her father forgive her for leaving? She didn't go rogue, she just took a break, was that such a bad thing? She sighed, and opened the door slowly. "Hello? Father? Mother?" She said, taking her shoes off, and standing in the doorway, like a stranger. Mabye I should've gone to the shop? She thought.

Suddenly her mother appeared, her mouth open. "Axel!" She gave her daughter a hug. Her mother would be welcoming, Axel had already expected. Whether she was allowed was her father's decision.

"Good to see you mother, is father here?" She asked. Her Mother's face fell.

"Come," She said.

Axel entered an old room off to the left of the courtyard, where her father sat, his eyes closed, meditating.

She got on her knees, head down, in respect. "Father, I have returned." She stated, not ready to apologize for something she didn't quit regret.

There was a very long silence. Axel's neck started to hurt, but she kept it down.

"Raise your head." Her father said. She did, seeing him stand above her.

Suddenly he smacked her. A sharp pain flowed through her face, and her eyes fell to the floor.

"You leave without so much as a note, and you expect to be welcomed back here with open arms?" Her father scolded. "You don't even apologize?"

"Forgive me Father, I apologize for leaving without notification, but I do not regret leaving." She said, not letting weakness enter her voice. "I did not leave as a sign of betrayal, but in order to find myself."

There was another period of silence. Longer.

Her father walked passed her and opened the door. "The son of the feudal lord passed through here last week, and he came by here." Her father said, and left.

Axel smiled. She knew she had been welcomed back by her father, though it did not seem like it. Though she had just come home, she wanted to go around the village. But at the door of her home, she found Vladdy waiting for her.

"You don't need to babysit me, you know."

"Your face-"

"Its nothing." Axel waved her off. They walked out together, and Axel stopped.

Vladdy looked back, "What's wrong?"

"I'm so happy to see you, and want to spend catching up, but I think I'm going to take a walk by myself." She smiled.

Vladdy stiffened, and Axel sighed, "I'll come back, don't worry."

Axel exited the gate of Kohana, and started running towards the main cities, towards the palace of the feudal lord.

She finally arrived at the gate of the palace within an hour, flushed from running all that way. She caught her breathe, and told the guard she was there to see the son. He let her in, and she sat, waiting, on her knees, her head bowed.

"Axel?!" The son of the heir to fire country, Otoori Kyoya, stood in her midst.

"Kyoya…" she raised her head, stood up, and rapped her arms around him.

He held her tightly. "I missed you so much." He whispered.

"I missed you too."


	3. Revelation

The sun poured into a room at the Nisshoku residence. Vladdy opened her eyes, but did not move.

_That liar. She left again. Everyone has left. Am I alone, or what? _She thought. It had been 4 days since Axel said she was, "going for a walk." Shikamaru and even Tsunade-sama had to said to be patient, that this was overwhelming for Axel.

"Overwhelming my ass," Vladdy muttered.

Suddenly she ducked out of her bed, landing on the floor. A kunai had just been thrown and was now stuck in her mattress. She looked up, and there in her window was Axel, laughing.

"Not bad, not bad, my old friend." She chuckled.

Vladdy was completely pissed off now. "What the hell was that?! What if I had been asleep?! Even more so, what the hell is your problem, where have you been?!" She went on screaming.

"Oh my god, would you shut up!" Axel yelled back.

Vladdy did so, still standing in a defensive position, in her pajamas.

"I went to see Kyoya for a couple of days, sorry!" Axel muttered. "Anyway get dressed. Were going out."

Vladdy observed Axel. She now had tape around her arms, and a blue seal in the shape of a star at the corner of her eye. Had it been there the whole time?

"Where are we going?" Vladdy asked as she got her sun-stamped clothes out of the closet.

"To do stuff." Was Axel's impatient response. She was now lying on Vladdy's bed, looking at photo albums.

Vladdy mumbled. "My mattress has a freaking hole in it now…" She started to get dressed. "Sooo, how was the visit?" her voice turned mischievous.

"Good." Axel replied, bored.

"You're not pregnant or something now, are you?" Vladdy asked, ready to burst out laughing.

Axel took the kunai that she had thrown into the mattress and flung it in Vladdy's direction, leaving a stab in the woodwork of the wall.

"WOULD YOU STOP PUNCTURING MY ROOM?!" Vladdy screamed.

"WOULD YOU HURRY THE HELL UP?!" Axel yelled in response.

Axel led Vladdy to the training grounds, where Naruto, Sai, and Shikamaru waited.

"Huh? What are you guys doing here?" Vladdy asked, dumbfounded.

"We came to watch." Naruto said.

"Watch what?"

"Our rematch." Axel smiled.

Vladdy hadn't quit been expecting this, but, this was her eternal rival, she would be ready for this anytime. "Understood." She said, facing Axel.

"Shall we?" Axel mummered , walking into the training field, taking a stance.

"I called you all here to discuss the threat facing the shinobi nations these days." Tsunade addressed the jounin that filled her office. "That threat, as most of you are aware of, is Akatsuki."

Raidon stiffened at the name of the organization that her older cousin was a part of, the man who had murdered the clan, and had driven her younger cousin to the brink of going rouge to achieve revenge.

"We have received information that Akatsuki is on the move, and have apparently already collected four of the jinnchurikki." Tsuande said. "We also have been able to acquire rough information on a few of the members." She looked directly at Raidon. "Lycan is not a member."

Raidon relaxed slightly, happy that the girl she had grown up with was not doing evil deeds with the likes of her cousin.

Tsuande went on. "This does not change the fact that both her and Sasuke are rouge. They are criminals." She spoke directly to the Uchiha standing before her.

Raidon understood that. But it did not change the fact that she would try with all of her power to bring them both back, and kill Itachi.

"In addition, there have been reports of members spotted in fire country. There has been no sign of a threat so far, but I would like to let you all know now that we are upping the security. Once we gain hard knowledge of the locations of these members, we will take them down." She paused. "Be ready." She ended. "Dismissed."

The elite of the village started to shuffle out of the room, when Tsunade called attention to one of them. "Raidon, please wait."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade looked at Raidon. "Axel has returned."

"Yes, I am aware."

"And?"

"We have not spoken." Raidon lowered her eyes at the thought of her student's reaction the other day.

"Give her time. She has been gone for almost three years. The reason was you, and the splitting of your team. Knowing Axel, she should eventually come around."

_Eventually? More like never. _Raidon thought, knowing that Axel had always felt insecure around her own sensei, the one she was suppose to trust the most. She looked up. "Yes, well, she was my student for a while, I think I know her enough. Will that be all, Hokage-sama?"

"One last thing. If Itachi is one of the identified members lurking around here, you will not be put on the mission."

Raidon stammered, "W-what?!"

"I will not allow the capturing of an Akatsuki member, and Konoha rouge, to go sour because of Catherina." Tsunade's eyes went cold.

Raidon was tierd, she didn't want to argue. "I understand." She said, and left the room.

Vladdy and Axel stood ten feet apart, having complete eye contact. Vladdy pulled her gloves out of her pocket and slowly slid them over her hands.

"Ohhh, what do we have here? A pair of gloves? You must kick some major ass now these days, to earn a pair of those." Axel joked.

Vladdy smirked. "It about to be your ass."

Axel returned the sarcastic smile. "Well, let's go then."


	4. Long time, No punch

Vladdy was one for making the first move, but she knew she couldn't just charge away at Axel. So instead, she decided to show off as a first move. She channeled her strength, pulled her arm back, and slammed her fist into the ground, causing the earth to split in front of her.

Axel dodged, smirking. "Not bad," she said. "But…" she suddenly appeared behind Vladdy, pulling a kunai, which Vladdy just barley dodged the aim at her collar bone.

Vladdy jumped in the air, and landed about 20 feet from Axel. "Oh, I had no idea you could use shunpo." She said, somewhat taken aback.

Axel smiled. "Believe it." She said.

Axel and Vladdy had silent eye contact for a few moments longer, and then went at each other with taijutsu. Vladdy's strength and Axel's speed put them at par with each other.

Vladdy swung, which Axel dodged just in time. "So, when are you gonna show me what your hiding behind that seal?" Vladdy smirked.

Axel's voice was still cocky, but was also solid. "You my friend, are not at the level for which I intend to release this seal." She wasn't calling Vladdy weak, she was serious, that whatever power Axel had compressed, was for a higher up. Vladdy's mind could not help but wander to their sensei for a moment. But then her focus came back to the fight. She pulled back from the close combat, and focused her chakra.

Axel observed, waiting to see what her rival was going to pull. "Aisu Taka no justsu!" she said, arousing the water on the training field. Vladdy remained still, the water surrounding her, forming small wings at her back, and freezing.

Axel took a stance. "So, the daughter of the sun has a talent for ice?"

Vladdy shrugged. "What can I say? I'm multitalented." She kept her handsign in place, and muttered, "Fly."

Suddenly a sheet of ice was coming at Axel, at a very fast pace. Vladdy was sure it was too quick for her to dodge, and was smirking, already celebrating a direct hit. But Axel didn't budge, "I reject!"

Suddenly a shield was in front of Axel, causing the ice to have no effect.

Vladdy was shocked. "B-but, it should've been direct! What the hell is that?"

Axel smiled. "_Santen Kessh._"

Vladdys eyes hardened. _A shield? Hm, it can't possibly block everything, but it's a pain._

"Whats wrong?" Axel laughed.

Vladdy pulled it together. Axel had new abilities, but so did she. "Nothing at all, I was just thinking about how I'll probably have to heal you after this." She chuckled.

Axel scowled, "We'll see about that."

"You wished to see me, Hokage-sama?" Neji entered the Tsunade's office. Shizune was not present.

"Neji…You are one of the best jounin in the village." Tsunade said, gazing out of her window.

"Forgive my being rude, but I do not believe you called me for congratulation."

"No, I didn't, in fact I have a mission for you to carry out, it is anbu level, and I hope you will be able to accept what is needed to be done in order to complete it." She looked at him, handing over a file.

Neji's eyes hardened. "Th-this is…"


	5. Becoming Kunoichis

Axel formed a handsign. "Disturbance." She said, aiming her box shaped hand sign at Vladdy. Vladdy jumped in the air and threw shurikens to cancel Axel's focus.

"Do you really think you can get me with one of those things?" Vladdy laughed.

"Yes I do actually." Axel said, using shunpo and appearing behind Vladdy, giving a blow to the head.

Vladdy got up quickly, but not quickly enough to escape the disturbance technique. Her body wasn't under her control anymore. She looked at Axel, "What, I have no partner, how are you going to do this?" She said.

Axel didn't say anything. Instead, all on its own, Vladdys hand reached for a kunai, which was brought to her neck. "Give up?" Axel murmured.

Vladdy focused, and Axel gasped, sweating. "W-what?!"

Vladdy laughed. Didn't you see my opening act? I'm not weak anymore."

Axel struggled controlling the justu, but Vladdy regained control of her body. She threw the kunai at Axel, and, simultaneously, created three shadow clones, and charged.

Within moments, Axel was knocked back against a tree, blood dripping from her jaw.

"Ouch." Naruto laughed.

"Don't laugh yet Naruto." Shikamaru smiled, somewhat entertained.

Staggering, Axel got up, wiping her face. "Damn." She sighed.

Vladdy smiled. Without letting Axel getting back to her feet, she threw another punch to Axel's gut. Blood drops landed on Vladdys cheek, from Axel's mouth.

Axel laughed, and Vladdy was confused. Suddenly a little _POOF! _gave it away. "Shadow clone." Vladdy ground her teeth, turning quickly, her senses alerted. She had already torn up the ground, so she wouldn't come from underneath, but Vladdy wasn't waiting. Her ice wings were still in tack. "Soar." She whispered, concentrating.

Suddenly, all of the training ground within a fifty meter radius of Vladdy was pure ice. "Try staying up there now." Vladdy said, just in time to see Axel gently land from the trees.

"Gotta hand it to you Vlads." Axel said, her bloody-bruised lips turning upwards at the corners.

Axel watched Vladdy closely, not wanting to receive another blow. At the same time she started thinking. And then, she started running, to the dry woods of the remaining training ground.

"The hell?" Vladdy said, closely following. Suddenly, Axel, whom was only about 20 yards in front of her, used shunpo, and was out of sight. Vladdy stopped and gazed around, she had been led into the dense part of the forest. She waited. Listening.

She finally sensed it, but it was too late.

She held her arm tightly. "Ouch." She said, looking at the chakra burn down her arm and a part of her leg. She started to heal the burns, but since they were from chakra, not fire; it was much, much harder. "What just happened?" She said, looking up.

Suddenly, it was dark. She was floating is utter darkness. "DAMMIT!" she screamed, fully aware of what had just happened. "This is what I get for not paying attention, but how does she plan to use this against me?" Thinking of what Axel would do with her classic mind-disturbance technique.

Suddenly she felt pain in her gut, had she just been stabbed? Was Axel stabbing her body, wouldn't that just happen to her in return?

Then she awoke. The sun was much lower in the sky. _How long has it BEEN?! _

She looked down, horrified at the sight of the blood at her gut. She quickly healed the opening of the wound.

Suddenly Axel was in front of her. "I wanna have a little more fun, and besides, it's not like I can kill you," She winked.

Vladdy scanned her up and down. "How do you not have the same wound?" she gasped.

"Let's just say, I altered the mind-switch technique. If I don't spend too much time in your body, the damage isn't returned. "

"And how long is that?"

"I can last about 20 minutes before the effects are returned."

"Hmph. And the shit you hit me with?"

"Similar to Naruto's rasengan, but nothing like it, mainly just chakra build up." She held out her hand, Magenta-tinted chakra forming in her palm. It did not have the swirling power of Naruto's, instead it was calm, bleeding little external chakra.

"Arushio-ne no jutsu" she said.

They exchanged eye-contact for a few moments, and then raced back to the clear field; the ice melted.

Both of them were distracted for a moment. "Sensei?"

Neji chuckled at how beat up the both of them were, and was sad that he missed most of the fight. "Continue." He gave his students a smile.

The two of them grinned and continued to go at it.

_Wow. They've really grown. The amount of chakra I've felt released is amazing. Where was I when they transformed from my genin to these true Kunoichi? _He looked at his feet, distracted. What sick world this was becoming, he thought of Tsunade's mission assignment, and whether he would take it or not. His mind raced around what a horrible childhood he had, and how awful people were, lacking so much compassion, so much…_sense_. He didn't know if he could stand it much longer.

Both Axel and Vladdy breathed hard. Neither of them had had a workout like this for a while. The stared long and hard. Simultaneously, Vladdy charged with all her might, and Axel shot with all her lightning. Vladdy, building up force. Axel, building up energy.

Vladdy threw her fist, as Axel pushed her glowing palms.

But there was no explosion of chakra, in fact there was nothing. In fact, both had been stopped.


	6. Apologies

Axel groaned. "Her ass was about to be out cold, Asuma-sensei!"

"PUH-LEASE! Your ass wasn't even gonna be in existence after that blow." Vladdy yelled around Kakashi.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and Asuma sighed. "Look at you two! You're both close to collapsing."

Neji and the others appeared next to them. "What's wrong?" Neji asked.

"We have wounded coming in from an apparent Akatsuki attack. Tsunade needs Vladdy and all of the available medical ninjas, but it looks like the two of you aren't in any condition to heal others."

"Damn it, she's not going to be happy." Vladdy's head fell, thinking of Tsunade's reaction. "Whatever, we need to at least get to the hospital and check out the situation, how's your medical nin training coming?" She looked at Axel, who gave her a thumb up.

"Let's go."

They got to the hospital and ran into the nearest ER room, which Tsunade happened to be in. Axel was about to walk right back out, hoping to find Shizune, but stopped at the command of the Hokage.

"STOP!" Tsunade's face was red. "W-what is this?!" My top pupil and a talented medical ninja, both…beat up?!"

Axel started to chuckle and talk, but Tsunade just put up a hand. "Go do whatever you can to help Shizune is room 4, Vladdy you stay here."

"Yes ma'am," They both mumbled at the same time. Axel ran out of the room, and Vladdy got to work; washing her hands, and observing the situation.

"Do you have enough chakra to use the ninja scalpel? " Tsunade asked.

"For how long?"

"I need incisions made while I prepare this antidote, it's a poison wound to the lungs."

"I should have enough." Vladdy twitted her thumbs.

Tsunade gave her a hard look. "You know what to do, and I will lecture you later."

Vladdy nodded and got to work.

Vladdy exited the ER, sat down, and took a deep breath: closing her eyes.

"You okay? You've had a long day."

Vladdy's eyes instantly flew open. "Sai!" she said, seeing him stand there with is awkward smile. He came and sat down next down to her. "Why don't you…go get cleaned up and then let me take you out for a fabulous meal?"

Vladdy blushed. "Why-" she leaned in, "that sounds just wonderful." Sai started to lean in closer, when they were interrupted.

"Vladdy." Tsunade's voice was firm.

"Yes ma'am?!" Vladdy instantly pulled back and stood up.

Tsunade just looked at Sai. He knew, he knew. "See you." He waved and walked away. Would he ever get time alone with her? It seemed like he had hardly seen her at all since Axel had returned.

"I'm disappointed, you knew you were on duty today, and yet you're out playing top kunoichi with Axel."

"Forgive me Tsunade-sama, it slipped my mind."

"Don't let it happen again."

There was silence before Tsunade continued.

"So?"

"Ma'am?" Vladdy was confused.

"How strong is she?" Tsunade looked at Vladdy.

"She…" Vladdy looked at her feet. "Is very strong."

"I expected as much." Tsunade laughed, and then gave Vladdy a hard look, "But so are you, Axel looked beat up too."

"No need for flattery, Tsunade-sama."

"It wasn't." Tsunade got up and walked away.

Raidon tapped her fingers impatiently. _Where is he?! _It was getting late and Neji still hadn't met her for ice cream. _Probably taking a walk… _She got up and started to make her way towards the only exit in Konoha. She was sitting on the bench by the exit for about an hour, thinking. Suddenly, she heard someone walking down the path, and looked up. She gasped when she saw Neji, with a backpack.

"What's this? A sudden mission? You could've at least told me." She laughed, but Neji was silent.

"No, its not." He said, avoiding eye contact.

"Huh?-" Raidon said, but with one swift motion, Neji appeared infront of her, and applied chakra to her forehead, causing her to blackout.

"Sorry…" was all she heard.


	7. Thoughts

"Sorry"

"Sorry"

"Sorry"

"Sorry….Raidon"

"Raidon…"

"Raidon-sensei!"

Raidon jerked awake to the sound of Axel's voice. She was covered in a cold sweat, and her mind was racing; trying to figure out the events of the previous night.

"What are you doing out here?" Axel was pressed, wondering why her sensei looked like she had just seen a ghost.

Raidon finally noticed Axel's presence. "N-neji…" was all she could mumble.

"What about him?" Axel was getting annoyed.

"H-h-hes gone." She started to shake.

"What?!" Axel gasped, but could tell Raidon was too shaky to continue the conversation. She took a deep breath, focused her chakra to her hand as well as she could, and tapped Raidon in the back of the head, causing her to become unconscious.

She picked her up, and almost fell. "You, sensei, either need to lose weight, or I need to start working out with Vladdy," she grunted and made her way towards the hospital.

Raidon slowly opened her eyes. She saw Tsunade, Vladdy, and Kakashi standing above her. "Wha-," and then she realized how she had gotten her. "NEJI!" she sat up quickly, too quickly. She felt woozy and instantly collapsed back on a pillow. She turned her head and saw Axel sitting on a chair farther back in the hospital room.

"Raidon, can you tell me what happened last night?" Tsunade asked, checking her temperature.

"Neji…he left…he left…he left the village…hes going to join Akatsuki…he left…just like Sasuke…and Lycan..and Itachi…" she went on mumbling, stuffing her face into her pillow.

Tsunade's face hardened, and Vladdy gasped.

"Akatsuki? Neji-sensei?!" she said in disbelief.

"Have a nurse assigned to this room, make sure she gets plenty of rest and fluids." Tsunade ordered, walking out of the room.

Kakashi followed, along with Axel.

Vladdy yelled after them. "Tsunade-sama, aren't you going to get a team together?" She pressed, catching up.

Tsunade kept looking forward. "I will get some anbu together, but Neji is one of the most elite jounin this village has ever seen, he's probably out of fire country by now, and knows how to cover his tracks.

Vladdy looked at her feet. "There must be more we can do," she said innocently.

Suddenly Tsunade back-handed her. "Don't contradict me like that again, I'm going to do what I can."

"My apologies, Hokage-sama."

"Well then, you are off duty for today, but no 'to-the-death-training'" she looked at Axel.

Axel and Vladdy made their way to the training fields farthest away from town.

"I can't believe it…" Vladdy muttered.

"I know," Axel agreed.

Axel looked at Vladdy, whom was lost in thought. She sighed."I'm going to practice my shunpo, you wanna join with trying to punch me?" She laughed.

Vladdy looked her, "No thanks."

"Alright then," and she was gone.

Vladdy decided to practice something else. She walked over to the nearest tree, and cleared her mind.

"I will defeat Akatsuki." Raidon muttered, no longer in denial, but now with a clear mind.

"They make it look like ninjas can just leave their responsibilities when they have problems." She rolled over in bed. "Why didn't he just talk to me?" she let a single teardrop fall onto the pillow beneath her face.


	8. Scattered

Axel was running so fast, feeling like she was racing through time. _Neji-sensei… _she thought her mind wandering. Wandering so much that she didn't realize there was someone a few yards in front of her.

BAM! She was on her butt, seeing stars. "S-sorry about that…" she muttered to the poor soul she just hit at full force.

"Ouch I think that hurt more than when Vladdy punched me…no actually this is still second to that." The voice complained

"S-sai?!"

Vladdy was sweating, and sat down. Suddenly she felt a presence and looked over. "Shikamaru?"

He laughed. "What are you doing?"

Vladdy looked back at the tree she had been staring at for god know's how long. "Working on some new jutsu's."

"Don't worry, Axel was just as freaked out about your power as you were about hers." Shikamaru said.

Vladdy looked up, "What?"

"She just hides it way better than you do." Shikamaru looked at her.

Vladdy looked back at the tree and chuckled.

"Oh, and…" Shikamaru continued. "She can only hold that altercation to the disturbance jutsu for 10 minutes."

Vladdy laughed, "She'll get pissed if she knows I told you that; I just want to know whats under that seal…"

Shikamaru's voice became abruptly serious "No you don't." Vladdy started to protest, but he continued, "So what are you working on?"

Vladdy sighed. "Get out a kunai and chip off the tree bark please." She continued to just sit there.

Shikamaru didn't ask questions, and just did was she said. He gasped after cutting off a few layers. Before him was a tree who's entire center was solid ice, but not the outside. He was about to turn to her and he felt a sharp pain to his shoulder, and suddenly he could barley move it. "What the hell?!"

Vladdy automatically started to heal him. "I'm trying to master the tai jutsu that Gaara and me learned when we were younger. And the jutsu in the tree is something I was something I came up with myself." She explained.

Shikamaru nodded.

Suddenly, Choji came through the trees, just as Vladdy finished healing him. "Shikamaru! Tsunade wants us for a mission, and Axel too, where is she?"

Sai helped Axel up.

"Sorry about that." Axel apologized again.

"Its alright." Sai said.

"So Vladdy hit you?!" Axel laughed, and they started to walk.

They went on getting to know each other, mostly through stories about Vladdy, when Sai's voice became somewhat indifferent.

"It's like I haven't spent time alone with her in forever, that's actually where I was headed; to find her."

"Huh?" Axel wondered. "Well, that's probably my fault." She chuckled. "But I actually left her a little while ago on the west training field, you should go see her." She suggested, but with a demanding tone.

Suddenly Shikamaru and Chouji appeared. "Hey Sai. Axel we've got a mission lets go."

She waved goodbye to Sai and took off with Choji and Shikamaru.

Sai watched them disappear and then decided to take Axel's advice; he started walking towards the training fields.

Tsunade faced the teams she had organized to track down Akatsuki. "If you are faced with Akatsuki, call for backup first, and then attack, understood?"

"Yes ma'am." Was the response.

"You all have your assigned routes, dismissed." And the ninjas in front of her vanished.

Axel and Chouji joined two other jounin, while Shikamaru set out with Asuma and two chunnin.

Axel was thinking in circles the entire time. _What if we find Akatsuki members? What if Neji-sensei is with them? Will I have the guts to fight against him? Of course I will…will he be willing to kill me? _

Chouji interrupted her thought. "Relax, just think of it as just another mission."

"How can you say that?! This is Akatsuki were talking about…its not just another mission."

"Oh, and is the almighty Shuensha prodigy scared?" Chouji teased

Axel smirked, "In your dreams, fatass."

"Why you…" Chouji scoled and Axel chuckled, but they both fell silent and paided attention to the surrounding area, prepared to fight.


	9. Loss

Shikamaru peered through the trees and spotted an Akatsuki member sitting on the steps of a building. _Just one? The others must be inside, this is our chance to pick one of. Is Neji with them?_

He signaled to the rest of team and sent a messenger hawk for a backup squad.

Sai walked through the brush and before him was the west training field. He spotted Vladdy many yards away. Instead of approaching her, he stood for a while, observing her strength and beauty. He was so happy he had met her, Naruto, and Yamato. Now he was starting to understand feelings, and the life he had been missing. He knew he had a long way to go before he was 'normal' but it wouldn't take eternity.

Axel & Choji's group received a messenger hawk before sundown, during their search for Akatsuki; so far they had been empty handed.

Axel's eyes became wide as she read the location and who it was from. "It's from Asuma-sensei's group! And it's not that far away, lets go!"

Shikamaru started to run towards Asuma. "NO!" he screamed, as he saw his beloved sensei fall to the ground. He tripped, and could no longer move. "Asuma!" he screamed once more.

The two Akatsuki members now faced Shikamaru and the others, ready to finish them off. But suddenly, black crows stopped them from attacking. Shikamaru was confused, and then Axel was suddenly by his side.

"Shikamaru, are you okay?"

"Don't worry about me," he shunned her touch, "Go help Asuma!" He yelled.

"Choji's already doing that." She said, putting Shikamaru's arm around her neck and pulling him to the roof of the building.

Choji laided Asuma in the same place, as the other Jounin fought Akatsuki. Axel took a quick look around. No Neji. Then she immediately evaluated Asuma.

She gasped. _There's no way I can fix this. I don't even know if Tsunade-sama could._ She let her head fall and shook it. Choji's face also fell, and Shikamaru's eyes widened. "A-a…axel?!"

She didn't say anything.

Suddenly Asuma's choked voice broke through their thoughts.

"You know she can't heel this Shikamaru." He said.

"Asuma-sensei! It's best if you don't talk." Axel whispered.

"Nonsense, I'm going to spend my last moments telling you what I planned to say when you were older, but I've realized you mature enough." Asuma gasped for air and continued. "Choji, you are a very skilled ninja, I'm proud at how far you've come since you were a genin. It looks like you'll have to pay for lunch yourself now though, or maybe not, because you need to lose some weight."

"Yes sensei," Choji laughed through his tears.

"Axel…" he murmured next.

Axel bent her head lower, "Yes, sensei?"

"You…are such a talented Kunoichi. It makes me so happy that we spent much of the last three years together. You really do complete this team. Never lose to Vladdy in anything, and make sure you keep an eye on these two."

"Yes sensei…" she responded, her tears mixing in with the now falling rain.

"Oh, and one more thing; you should forgive Raidon. Hate is a waste of time."

Axel just nodded in response.

"And Shikamaru, come closer."

Shikamaru bent his ear down to Asuma's lips and listened.

Sai looked up at the sky as the rain started to fall. He drew an umbrella and walked over to Vladdy, gently sticking it over her head. She looked up, surprised. "Sai!"

He smiled, and no other words were needed.


	10. Release

Tsunade slammed her fist on her desk at the news of Asuma's death. "Dismissed."

The funeral was a few days later. Shikamaru did not show up.

Two weeks later, he went to both Choji and Axel with a plan to capture the Akatsuki members.

"We leave before dawn."

The two of them nodded, not knowing that Vladdy had overheard the plan.

She went to Tsunade with the news of what the three were going to do; she didn't want them to die too.

"I understand." Tsunade said.

She caught them before they left in the morning. While she lectured they they weren't going to go get themselves killed, Axel noticed, Kakashi, Vladdy, Raidon, Yamato, Sai, and Naruto standing behind her.

"Choji, Shikamaru, and Kakashi will be one search party. Yamato, Sai, and Naruto another. And finally, Raidon, Vladdy and Axel in another." She went onto explain the routes they would take, and that if they had battle with Akatsuki members without waiting for another team to arrive, that they were fools, and would not be welcomed back with honor.

Shikamaru hated the plan, but she was the hokage and the fact that she was even letting them search was a great deed on her part.

Raidon's group seemed to be assigned to the most unlikely place that akatsuki would go: The Nara forest. Probably because of Vladdy's protest to what Raidon's reaction might be; but she was one of the only available jounin.

Vladdy decided to be in the middle of Raidon and Axel during the search, and could almost feel the tension hitting her.

"Axel…I know you became close to Asuma these past years, this must be hard, and I'm sorry." Raidon said.

"Yeah, he was a good sensei, always honest with us." She responded bitterly.

There was silence from that point on until Raidon signaled for them to stop. There was presence sensed near by. Axel felt that it was the same chakra as before and quickly summoned a messenger bird.

The three kunoichi moved in closer, and could see three Akatsuki members. The two from before…and Neji. Vladdy gasped, followed by a kunai skinning her cheek. They had found them out. They quickly faced the Akatsuki.

Vladdy's eyes narrowed at the sight of the grey haired one; she had faced him on one of their first missions as genin, but they dropped it because it became too much for them to handle.

"Let's get out of here." Neji ordered the other two.

"Aw, come on man. It's just a bunch of Kohana, we already killed one. Besides their a bunch of girls." Hidan laughed.

Vladdy was outraged, her mind spinning. She attacked without real thought. Full force at him.

She was able to knock him backwards with a punch.

Meanwhile, Axel glanced over at Raidon to see her staring at Neji. Her hair and eyes were slowly turning different colors.

Axel couldn't take Cathrina anymore, it had all been a lie, and selfish lie. How could Raidon be so uncaring towards her own students?!

"You bitch!" She released her seal, and charged at Raidon, pinning her by her throat to a tree.

Vladdy looked over, wondering where her backup was, and dropped her arms. "Wha-t?!" She observed Axel pinning Cathrina/Raidon to a tree; Axel, whos seal was released, and was almost bleeding chakra.

"i-is..this…her power?"


	11. My revenge, Your destruction

Axel had blue chakra surrounding her, and all Vladdy could do is stare helplessly.

Hidan took this chance to take a swing at her, but Neji stopped him. "We're leaving." And they took the chance escape.

"I'm going to kill you right here. Right now, once and for all!" Axel screamed, crushing Raidon's throat with her hand.

Her eyes were a glowing white; her seal now had black swirls surrounding it. She growled, and pressed harder.

Suddenly there was a chuckle from the choking monster in front of her. Axel growled again.

"You pathetic thing." Cathrina muttered. "You can't kill me!" and she kicked Axel backward.

Axel's eyes narrowed, "We'll see about that!" and suddenly a giant cat was formed from her bleeding chakra. It gathered a giant fireball in its mouth a forced it toward Cathrina.

Cathrina dodged, and formed a glowing green ball in her hand. "Cero!"

Axel dodged, and used shunpo, appearing in Cathrina's face, and knocking her backward 20 yards.

"N-no…" Vladdy murmured, and started to run towards the two, "Stop!" She cried. Suddenly, Neji was blocking her path. He grabbed her arms.

"What are you doing?! We have to stop them their going to kill each other! You trader, this is all you fault!" She screamed, struggling.

"I'm sorry." Neji said softly, taping her on the head, causing her entire body to limp.

He picked her up, and carried her a distance away, carefully laying her down. Then he disappeared.

Vladdy laid there, unable to moving, just watching her best friend and sensei destroying each other.

Cathrina staggered back up. "You brat, I know you! And I know you will never have the strength to kill someone like me!" She threw her arms out, Snakes emerging from her sleeves. One raped around Axel's waist, the other around her throat, choking her.

Axel struggled, trying to catch her breath. She formed the best ninja scalpel she could and sliced the throats of the snakes. "Arushio-ne no jutsu!" A spinning sphere of chakra toward Cathrina, whom instead of moving, took a deep breath, and absorbed it in through her mouth.

"What?!" Axel gasped.

A moment later, the power was shot back at Axel 10 fold.

"Santen Kessh, I reject!" Axel yelled, and a shield was instantly in front of her, barley blocking the blow.

Cathrina smiled. "You've grown."

"Don't you dare flatter me!"

Axel used shunpo to disappear into the brush. Suddenly, Cathrina's mind was overtaken.

_Disturbance? Please._Cathrina could feel Axel reaching for a kunai, to slit her throat, but Cathrina let her chakra power bleed from her. All of her evil came out with it. Axel was returned to her own body.

_Damn it_ Axel thought.

Now Axel and Cathrina were staring each other down, when suddenly, Cathrina charged, taking a punch. Axel blocked her. A smug look appeared on Cathrina's face and Axel struggled to get away quickly but couldn't.

"White Lightning."

Axel fell back, grabbing her bleeding arm. The cat reappeared behind Axel. Axel pulled a scroll from her pouch, laid it on the ground and did a series of hand signs. Suddenly, she became one with the Cat, almost like Kiba and Akamaru.

It pounced at Cathrina, whom dodged. A fire ball came from at her back, and Cathrina couldn't avoid it. The flames burned much of her body; though it wasn't enough to finish her. She had lived for hundreds of years; she wasn't going to be taken down by a mere child. "Mangekyo sharingan."

Suddenly Axel felt sick. She felt her body being pulled from the body of her summon. The world around her became inverted; there was blood and killing everywhere. She felt her body being stabbed over and over, and she screamed over and over again.

But had to be someway…She focused her chakra, and reality came back to her. Her body felt weak after the experience and she staggered. She didn't think she could re use her seal without draining her chakra and completely killing herself.

She slowly unwrapped the tape from her arms, and used shunpo. Cathrina's body was enclosed quickly. "Arushio-ne!" Axel yelled, directly hitting Cathrina in the back.

Blood was everywhere. Cathrina screamed, clutching her chest. "Damn you little brat."

Axel threw a punch, but it was blocked. Cathrina grabbed her arm and threw her. Axel landed smoothly on her feet, and ran again, jumping in the air, and slicing into Cathrina's shoulder. Cathrina went for a blow to the face, but stopped."A-axel…" Raidon strained for control.

Axel gasped.

"Get a-away…I-I'm so-r-rry."

"Get outta here!" Cathrina screamed, "Cero!" She pointed straight at Axel's heart; Axel: who was still overwhelmed by her sensei's words.

Blood sprayed from Axel's mouth, and she fell to the ground.

Cathrina was going to deliver another blow, but instead fainted, and slowly faded back to Raidon."

Vladdy held her hand out, "A-axel" she started to crawl on her elbows, getting her movement back.

Neji appeared in between the two badly wounded kunoichi, a started to bend over to Axel, when Vladdy's surprisingly close voice screamed. "DON'T TOUCH HER YOU BASTARD!" She started to get up slowly, and then eventually struggled with all her might run.

Neji's lips moved, but Vladdy could not hear, the only thing she heard was the faint sound of Axel's dying heart getting closer as she ran.

Neji picked up Raidon and disappeared into the brush.

Vladdy fell to her knees at Axel's side, and laid Axel's shoulders in her lap. "You can't die on me!"


	12. The Sky is one Star Dimmer

Vladdy was in utter denial, she knew she couldn't fix this kind of a wound; but she poured all of her chakra into the wound. "Come on…come on…COME ON DAMMIT!" she screamed.

"Vladdy!" Shikamaru screamed, he was followed by everyone else.

"What happened? Wheres Akatsuki? Wheres Raidon? VLADDY!" Shikamaru fell to Axel's other side.

Vladdy completely ignored him and continued to yell. "COME ON DAMMIT!"

"S-stop…" Axel coughed up blood.

"Axel?!" Shikamaru screamed, grabbing her hand.

"T-theres no way this can be fixed. Not even by the invincible Vlads." She chuckled, weak.

"Sh…" Vladdy said.

Choji started to run her fingers through her hair as Vladdy muttered what happened in 2 short sentences.

"Come on Ax. You can't die on me too," Shikamaru pleaded. Tightening his grip on her hand.

"Choji…Shikamaru…thank you for being with me these past years…you kept me faithful in people."

"Stop talking like this," Vladdy said harshly.

Sai started to walk over to sit next to Vladdy, but Kakashi changed his plans. "Sai. Do a scouting of the surrounding of the area. If you see them, keep an eye on their general location, and then return to the village."

Sai hesitated, but nodded, and took off.

"V-vladdy…" Axel murmured, coughing up more blood.

"Shut up Axel."Vladdy's eyes started to water.

"No, you shut up." Axel continued. "Y-you are so much stronger than me…remember that…"

"Lair" Vladdy whispered.

"Let me speak…You have been one of the closest to me since we were little. I-I…tell Kyoya that I loved him…my dresser…on m-my…dresser…and the scrolls…my father…I hope he thinks of me as…" she coughed again.

"That's enough…hush" Vladdy said harshly; again.

Axel chuckled. "T-thank you…for dealing with all of my crap…" Axel murmured, and then fell silent.

Vladdy's eyes started to overflow, and she rocked Axel's cold body back and forth, muttering "Its okay...its okay…"

Shikamaru let go over hand, and Choji removed his fingers from his hair.

The sun fell, and they all remained in the same spot, Vladdy still muttering.

"Vladdy…" Yamato whispered softly, "We should get back to the village now."

Vladdy didn't hear him. He tried to take Axel from her arms gently, but Vladdy smacked him away.

Shikamaru walked behind Vladdy and pulled her up, as Choji gathered Axel in his arms.

Axel was laid in the infirmary, Vladdy laying next to her body, as the other's gave a detailed report to Tsunade.

Tsunade didn't know what to do anymore. She dismissed them, even shizune, and sat in silence of her office.

Vladdy watched them cover up her best friend and lay her in a box as if she were some old piece of junk. She slowly walked to the Shuensha estate, her emotion nonexistent.

She entered the home without warning, walking to Axel's room. She laid on Axel's bed, and stared at the ceiling.

After many moments, she sat up and looked at Axel's dresser. She slowly walked over to it and picked up the diamond ring that laid there, laid there with no purpose except to look beautiful. She understood.

On the way out of the residence, she passed Axel's father. She stepped in his way and muttered, "She wanted you to be proud of her for once…" she said in a monotone voice.

She finally got to the gate of the village, where Sai was just walking in.

"Vladdy!" He tried to embrace her, but she just walking around him, as if he were nothing but in the way.

She started to run, and before she knew it she was at the palace of the feudal lord.

Least did she know, a guest was on the verge of arriving at Kohana, from a different route.

Kyoya appeared before Vladdy.

"Vladdy! I haven't seen you in such a long time! How are you?" He was joyous, and then realized the blank look on her face.

"Vladdy?" Kyoya asked, leaning forward.

She dropped the ring before him and he stared at it, confused as to why she would have it in her possession.

"Wha-"he started to ask, but was interrupted.

"She's dead." Vladdy said directly, and gave a brief explaination.

Kyoya dropped the tea cup in his hand, shattering it.

"The funeral is in two days." Vladdy said, standing, as Kyoya dropped to his knees, shaking.

Vladdy started to walk away but Kyoya stopped her, grasping the ring in his hand.

"Did she tell you…you were going to be her maid of honor?"

"No, she obviously didn't get the chance." And within an instant she was gone.

"Cancel all of my business for the next two weeks" Kyoya ordered.

"But sir-"

"But nothing!"

Vladdy walked into the village, and into the office of Tsunade. Before her was Gaara, her cousin. Instead of welcoming her, she slammed her body into her, "What do you think your doing here?!" she screamed into her cousins confused face.


	13. Fade

Axel's eye sight was blurred, her head was pounding, and her feet weren't stable. _Where am I? _She looked around a saw trees. There were people a few yards away, she started to stagger towards them. _Is that me? _She observed herself lying in the arms of another; pale white. _Am..what is this? _She realized she knew the girl holding her body. _V-vladdy? Why are you crying? _She reached her hand out when a voice from behind her called.

"Theres no use. Now come."

Axel turned around to see a boy about her age. He had long black hair and grey eyes. He dressed in a black kimono and held a sword.

_Who are…what? _Axel became scared as he held his sword towards her.

"No need to be afraid." He whispered.

He pressed the back of the handle to her forehead and light started to appear.

_T-tell me…who a-are you…?_

"Kuchiki Byakuya…" his voice became faint.

_By..a-kuy..a_

And all was dark for a long time until Axel's eyes fluttered open, to see a boy with orange spiky hair standing above her.

"Where am I?" she whispered.

"Vladdy?! What are you doing? I came for a visit and Tsuande just told me about Axel!" Gaara tried her best to hold back her tears. "I'm so sorry!"

Vladdy pinned her against the wall harder, "Sorry? Is that what you just said?"

Gaara's eyes widened. "Of course! Axel was our best friend, and to have her die infront of you is terrible!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE SORRY! YOU HAVENT BEEN HERE! YOU ABNDONED US!" Vladdy yelled.

Shikamaru pulled Vladdy off of Gaara and threw her to the floor. "Get a hold of yourself, Vladdy!" Tsunade ordered.

Vladdy slowly got up and gave Gaara a cold look. "If you were truly a Nisshoku, then you would have been there to prevent such an incident. But no, now you are nothing but foreign scum." Vladdy glanced a Shikamaru, "I know you agree with me." She said, leaving the office.

Gaara slowly slide to the floor and took many deep breathes.

"Are you okay, Gaara?" Shikamaru asked, not making eye contact.

"Not particularly." She sighed.

Axel's funeral was the next day. Gaara tried to stay out of Vladdy's way as much as possible. Vladdy, whom only came for part of the ceremony to tell Kyoya something.

"She wanted me to tell you that she loved you." Vladdy murmured and left, not even acknowledging Sai, or the other attendants.

For the rest of the day Vladdy laid in Axel's bed, staring at the ceiling.

Shikamaru and Gaara sat of the roof of Nara residence, gazing at the stars.

There was much silence.

"You agree with her…don't you?" Gaara said softly.

Shikamaru still didn't look at her. "Why did you leave? Why?!"

Gaara closed her eyes. "Because I needed to get away from all the tension here. And the Sand village welcomed me."

Shikamaru shook his head and then finally looked at her in the eyes for the first time since she returned. "Gaara."

She looked up.

"I have had two of the closest people to me die right beside me within three weeks. I don't think I can handle the thoughts of weather I forgive you or not.

Gaaras gaze turned sad. "I loved her too, shikamaru." She said softly, and then wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Vladdy."

Vladdy shifted her eyes to the doorway of Axel's room. In it, stood Sai.

"Ive been looking everywhere for you, are you alright?"

She didn't say anything.

After a few moments, she got up and started to walk towards the doorway.

"Where are you going?" sai pressed.

No answer.

For the first time in his entire life Sai felt completely frustrated.

"Answer me!" He grabbed her shoulders, and pushed her down on the bed, his body above hers.

Vladdy just stared at him, shocked.

He tightened the grip on her shoulders. "I've been trying to spend time with you for god know's how long, and you wont let me!"

She continued to stare, blank.

_What am I doing? _Sai loosened his grip, and slowly lowered his head to rest it on her chest. "I'm sorry" he whispered.

And without warning, Vladdy started to cry.

She cried until they both eventually fell asleep.


	14. The power of Realization

Lycan gazed out her window of her small cabin, looking at the sky. Quit frequently did she think of the place she grew up in, her friends, family, her lover, and her rivals. But suddenly the tranquility of her thought was interrupted and within moments there was a knock at her door. She was cautious answering it; hardly anyone knew of her location, she was rouge after all.

She gasped. "Neji?"

Neji stood in Lycan's doorway, carrying an unconscious Raidon. "Lycan."

She then observed him wearing a Akatsuki cloak and she suddenly starting spitting questions. "Why are you here? How did you find me? What happen to her? Why are you wearing that?"

He held up his hand, silencing her. He swiftly moved past her and lied Raidon down on the bed located inside the house.

"Lycan, I need you to take care of her."

"Of course I will." Lycan folded her arms. "But first, you need to tell me what the hell is going on."

Neji took a deep breath, and kept the explanation short. "Axel returned to the village about a month ago. A few days ago, they were on a mission. Cathrina appeared, and Axel lost her temper, the two ended up fighting."

Lycan's eyes widened and she took another look at Raidon. "That kid did this?" Lycan started to laugh, what kind of shape is she in?

Neji looked down, "Shes dead." He stood up and started to walk towards the door.

Lycan's gaze grew hard. "Why are you wearing that?"

No answer.

"How is Kiba?"

"Fine."

"Neji"

He didn't pause for her next question; instead he exited the home and disappeared into the woods.

Tonight would be the last night that Vladdy layed on Axel's bed. She sat on her knees, holding a picture of what their team used to be. "Axel and Raidon-sensei shouldn't have fought….We could all be alive and happy right now…" Her mind flashed to a talk she had with Iruka, and how he mentioned the changes the world was going through. She let one single tear run down her cheek as memories of when they were genin filled her mind. She fell back on a pillow, closing her eyes. And then, Axel's last words played through her head.

"_And the scrolls…"_

Vladdy instantly sat up, looking around the room. She quickly got up and started to open Axel's dresser drawers. Finally, a bundle of scrolls fell upon her gaze. Her eyes grew attached to one in particular. The one that had the forbidden seal.

Gaara and Shikamaru made their way to the west training field, hoping to find Vladdy. They found her sitting by a tree, surrounded by scrolls.

"May we join whatever it is you are doing?" Gaara asked, still cautious of her cousin's feelings towards her.

Vladdy did not look at them, but continued to read. "How long are you staying?"

Gaara wasn't sure if that was an insult or not. "The sand village knows that I will be here for quit some time."

"Good, now, you are welcomed to join me if you take _that _off and put _this _on." Vladdy held up a Kohana headband, which Gaara slowly took in her hands. The cloth was a fainted pink. Axel's. Gaara sighed, and slowly unwrapped her Sand village headband, replacing it with the Kohana one.

"Alright." Gaara stuck her Sand headband into her shuriken pouch.

"Good, you may sit."

Shikamaru and Gaara sat on Vladdy's left and right. Shikamaru gasped as he read the material on the scrolls. "Where did you get those?" he demanded.

"Axel's room." Vladdy continued to read, "There's one for basically every jutsu, except that shield one, where is that?" She looked up curiously at Shikamaru.

He was overwhelmed; he hadn't seen these things in a while. "T-he justu wasn't finished, s-so she didn't write one." He stammered and reached for the one labeled with a forbidden seal.

"That requires more chakra than I thought, but there aren't a lot of details on how the seal is set." Vladdy said.

Shikamaru's gaze hardened, "If you're going to drown yourself in these scrolls, trying to learn her jutsu's; don't learn this one."

Vladdy glanced at him from the corner of her eye, "And why not?"


End file.
